November 25, 2009

What a Concept: Top 10 Concept Albums

• By Fredrick
• No TrackBacks

With the advent of recorded music came a phenomenal revolution, and the birth of an entire industry. What, before, was an art more akin to a verbal history of passed down stories or dusty tomes of hymns and prayers became a form of self expression and mystery. The world leapt at the opportunity to catalog the songs floating around and distribute them to people who didn't have access to great musicians. Once established, the music industry introduced the masses to the idea of the single. This was marketing more than art, but there was, above all, an art to the marketing. Bands were acquired as a resource and used until depleted.

But there was an oddball factor to the equation - the album. As opposed to the single, which featured a popular radio tune on one side of a 45 backed with another less popular B-side tune that often amounted to little more than filler. An album expanded this relationship, collecting a series of singles comingled with various fluff pieces and b-sides. For the most part, early albums were chaotic discs produced without concern for flow or staying power; they were simply a means of collecting songs produced solely for radio play in one easy place for consumers to purchase. This was a tumultuous period of the musical industry driven by a lust for money and the readiness of musicians to exploit themselves for the love of their craft, or, for their own monetary gain.

While some bands, by the nature of their subject matters, were able to produce albums that seemed somehow cohesive, it wasn't until people began making music with the album in mind that the industry stepped back from the cacophony of the single - just a step, mind you, as popular music today is still contingent upon the money brought in from singles, still, a step is a step. Once artists began to think of the album as a blank canvas as opposed to a collage was it a viable means of musical expression. Expanding the world view beyond 7 inches unlocked the deepest creativity in artists who were still searching for their place in the world and well established artists alike. Of course, once the album was looked at in this respect it only seemed natural that song writers would see this as an opportunity to create story book albums that carried out an objective of theme throughout the duration of the LP.

Thus the concept album was born, and thus the concept album flourished. By writing, not just a song but an album, artists were able to create unified music that had a beginning, middle, and an end, much like the motifs of classical pieces. Through song craft contemporary artists in the 60's were able to share narratives or discuss ideals through a complete work of art, as opposed to making brief commentaries through singles. Those who blazed the trails of concept work did so in such a remarkable ways that those albums stand as testament to the entire catalog of the artist's work. These albums are timeless, peerless, and consistently inspirational to today's most impressive artists.

I have compiled a list of my 10 favorite concept albums here. In the age of the iPod it's imperative to remember the power of the album, these following LP's should act as the gold standard for all aspiring songwriters.

Continue here...!

10

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

                John Lennon was so excited about what The Beatles had accomplished with Sgt. Pepper's that he proclaimed that it would be, for them, what Freak Out! was for Frank Zappa. Zappa, on the other hand, was convinced that the band had exploited the hippy culture in order to sell records. This, in return, spurred Zappa to make the album "We're only in it for the Money"; the jacket of which features the most accurate parody of Sgt. Pepper's own artwork. Despite Zappa's strong opinion of the albums debatable intentions, it still stands as a landmark in the Beatles discography.

                Aside from the psychedelic influences and the many allusions that feed the mythos surrounding Paul McCartney's mortality, the albums flows steadily through narratives which boarder on mundane, all the while maintaining a whimsical magic. Sgt Pepper's paints a period piece of life in England in the late 60's and has been, since its release, a source of infinite inspiration to musicians. Even today children are being exposed to the Beatles and latching on to this album in particular. While it lacks a strong lead, and doesn't have any of the most powerful singles in the Beatles catalog, when taken as a whole, this album is as potent as most contemporary music condensed to its purest form.

9

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over The Sea

                Though I'm not a very avid fan of Neutral Milk Hotel or even of this album in particular, its impact on independent music is immeasurable. Aeroplane came about at a tender moment in the era of modern indie music. In the 1990's artists began a fight to legitimize music that fell under the radar of the typical MTV watcher. While the 'college music' genre flourished with acts like The Spin Doctors and Ween leading the charge, this only amounted to so much, perhaps even reverting the fight to some laughable adolescent romp. The inherent problem with labeling independent music as 'college music' was the implication that it wasn't grown up or mature. It was silly and ignorable, passed over in lieu of adult alternative (which had the good fortune of being deemed mature; suitable for grownups).

                Neutral Milk Hotel demanded attention with their sophomore album, In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, a collection of love songs written from the heart of Jeff Mangum to Anne Frank with whom he holds a special dedication for. It was undeniably mature and unmistakably lo-fi. There was nothing that sounded like it on the radio, there was nothing that sounded like it anywhere, and in one flawless motion this Athens, GA based band cemented its place in history, and purified the waters of independent music. Though Jeff Mangum has since become a recluse and the band has not put out an album since, their credibility continues to carry them deeper into the hall of musical heroes.

8

Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump

                I really don't have much love for Californian music. It's a world I can't relate to; one super long monotonous season, continuous beaches, smog clouds, landslides, plastic people. I've been to California, and it sucks. I don't really get along with Californian people very well, and I certainly don't want to hear about the place in any of the music I listen to. As far as I'm concerned L.A. couldn't be more different from NYC in terms of population, location, public transportation, air breathability, and musically. Luckily Grandaddy from Modesto, CA doesn't write songs for California, they hardly even feel like songs for this planet.

                Jason Lytle pens songs like a science fiction writer, and unapologetically creates alternate universes where space travel is simultaneously no big deal and the biggest deal. It's easy to relate, somehow, to the worlds Lytle spins, even if the protagonists are distant workers using satellite surveillance to feel close to their families, or debaucherous robots who, like all of us, just want to find someplace to belong. Sophtware Slump is a largely underappreciated masterpiece that welcomes you in at the first track and keeps you captivated until the end. It's like living another life in 48 minutes.

7

Love - Forever Changes

                I can't imagine trying to record an album under circumstances where you believe that, any day now, everyone will die. Even in these tumultuous times I can't fathom walking around with that sort of fear always playing in the back of my mind. Still, it was under these conditions that Love was able to produce its landmark album. The 60's were a time where the musical scene was more fluid, finding it hard to solidify with all the waves being made; revolutionary new genres were being created every day, and classic music people never expected to fall out of fashion were suddenly cast aside. But it wasn't just the music scene that had these changes reverberating through them; it was the whole nation that was experiencing revolutions on all fronts. Music seemed to follow suit. 

                So with all this weighing heavily on the minds of Arthur Lee and Bryan MacLean, they put together Forever Changes, an album that puts insecurity in the driver's seat and let it run free. What I find so interesting about this album isn't the overbearing strangeness, but it's accessibility in spite of this. To begin listening to this album with a clear mind and jaded ears, you'd barely notice the macabre themes and the dark lyrics, you would just chalk this up as another well executed late 60's psych album. With the state of affairs in this day and age, it's surprising that this album hasn't seen a widespread revival.

6

David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

                When I was first introduced to the music of David Bowie by my college roommate and best friend Elijah Kull, I was so put off that I wouldn't give it a chance. Now, here my friend was presenting me with a science fiction glam rock concept album about space and an apocalyptic future and I was so turned off by the wailing voice of David Bowie that I wouldn't give it two seconds of my very uneventful day. Those are all things I adore, and I was so stubborn that it would be months before I gave it a chance.

                Of course Ziggy Stardust is one of the most popular concept albums ever produced, which is no surprise. Ziggy Stardust captures every element of a concept album brilliantly; a sexually promiscuous protagonist from outer-space turned rock star, a grim look at the future of humanity told allegorically through a warning of the coming apocalypse, and the tragic undoing of the main character by the evils of the rock and roll lifestyle he came to embody. Though the opening track, Five Years, is one of the most beautiful and without a doubt Bowie's best songwriting, the album falls victim to awkward production. The music is very layered, but the resulting sound is flat and tends to wash the intricacies out of his effort.

5

The Kinks - The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society

                No one is better at crafting perfect concept albums than Ray Davies of The Kinks. Davies has a way of exploring otherwise mundane facets of English life and transforming them into masterful albums which seem more like musical case studies of real people than they do songs about made up characters and situations. Starting in 1966 The Kinks began working with the concept album with Face to Face and carrying through with a host of other brilliant concept albums like Arthur, Lola, the often overlooked Muswell Hillbillies, Preservation: acts 1 & 2, and my personal favorite, Village Green Preservation Society.

                Village Green is an introspective look at the way the past actively affects the present by examining various situations in which memories play a significant role in the decisions and emotions of the present. With strong emphasis on the way time changes relationships and tends to either magnify bad choices or erase sour memories, Village Green is one of the most accurate explorations of the joy and remorse associated with nostalgia.

4

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - Freak Out!

                Freak Out, aside from being the first double-lp, is one of the greatest records in history. Finding inspiration from the crumbling fabric of American life, a bad divorce, 50's doo-wop, and the crooked politics of the Southern Californian music scene in the 60's, Frank Zappa wrote, not just two, but four sides of music for his debut album. On the inside of the record sleeve he printed all the sarcastic and bad reviews of his music (which is tame by today's standards, but revolutionary then), including a snippet from a DJ who wanted to make them famous like The Turtles, which is ironic considering that eventually Frank Zappa would absorb two members from The Turtles and put them to work making his offensive music.

                With his special blend of cynicism and humor, Zappa painted a portrait of the American Dream that was simultaneously skewed and crystal clear. It was his harsh criticism of politics and society that challenged the minds of those people who were living that dream and inspired those who weren't to greatness. Zappa crawled around in the filth of the back alleys of L.A.'s music scene for long enough to pick up ample material for his debut, and it was even this material that lost the band their typical gigs as cover musicians at local bars. Who wants to face reality through song when you can just listen to Louie Louie?

3

Casper & the Cookies - The Optimist's Club

                In the interest of full disclosure, and for anyone who has spent any time on this webpage before, I have to say that the good folks in C&tC are dear friends of mine, but it isn't my personal relationship with that that earns this album a spot on my list. If I had never had the opportunity to meet Jason Nesmith, Kay Stanton, or Jim Hix, I'd still be just as in love with this album as I am today. The songs speak for themselves.

                When I first moved to New York City the Optimist's Club was my constant companion. As I learned the intricacies of the New York Subways and carefully mapped out the twisted jumble of side streets that compose the greater portion of Greenwich Village I always had this album playing on my iPod. While this album chronicles so beautifully the way NYC presents itself to people from the rest of the country, it also offers comfort in knowing that you're not the only one struggling with the idea of being completely alone in a crowd. The impacts of this album, and of the many, many live performances from the gang during this era of their career, are invaluable in my life.

2

The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

                I often contribute this album to the personal musical renaissance I experienced in my life. Though I had begun to see the light sometime in 1998 when I first picked up a copy of Modest Mouse's This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About and the previous album from the Flaming Lips, The Soft Bulletin, it wasn't until the release of 2002's Yoshimi that I found music infecting every detail of my life. It was then that music became my constant companion.

                And it wasn't simply the fact that it was the right album at the right time, Wayne Coyne's lyrical mastery offered me life lessons and sympathy that resonates still with my life to this very day. At every point in my life since this album I have found a song here that speaks to me and offers fresh insight where I previously hadn't noticed it. When I didn't know how a man decides what's right for his own life, this album was here for me. When I needed help keeping myself in the present, this album was here to remind me that all we have is now. When I felt jinxed this album was there to tell me I'm not the only one to get tricked into forgiving someone. I swear this album boarders on philosophy, wrapped in a tight musical package.

1

of Montreal - The Gay Parade

                When I was packing my shit for an extended trip to Tucson, Arizona, where I would spend the next several months, I brought very few things. In my bag I brought my clothes, all of which didn't fill a suitcase, a DVD copy of O Brother, Where Art Thou, and of Montreal's Gay Parade. Somehow, this seemed like enough.

                I was first introduced to this album by my friend Max at the dawn of my interest in vinyl records. We had both just started a collection and I would bring mine down to his house so we could listen to them on the turntable he got for his birthday. This was exciting; considering that at the time there was nowhere near Corning to buy records, coming across good vinyl was like finding treasure. I used to raid record stores in Buffalo and Rochester, and even found a great one in Waverly (the New York half of the city, not the Pennsylvanian half). Still, despite the fact that I would email record stores from as far away as Texas to find rare records, most of my money went to Ebay and Insound, with the occasional order to Tonevendor, who I actually preferred but didn't always but wasn't always able to find what I needed.

                But I digress, Gay Parade is a romp which catalogs the lives several characters from all walks of life, which all seem to culminate or cross paths in some way. This album, while much akin to the songwriting of Ray Davies, is also a in a totally different category. The characters created here are not portraits of any sort of modern life, but rather animated cross sections of what might be real people or situations. You feel both joy and empathy for these fictional beings as they expose their lives to the listener. Instead of feeling like an anthropological survey, Gay Parade feels more like a comic book, or a collection of short stories that all connect.